Portable Gift Wrapping Combination

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a gift wrapping combination comprising a sleeve of flexible material having a closed end and an open end, the sleeve having a size and dimensions that substantially conform to those of a gift box. The present invention is also directed to methods of wrapping a gift.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/118,197 filed Nov. 26, 2008, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to gift wrapped packages and gift wrapping, andmore particularly to a portable gift wrapping combination and method ofwrapping a gift, where the portable gift wrapping combination comprisesa sleeve of flexible material having an open end and an opposite closedend, which in certain embodiments may be packaged along with acollapsible gift box or tissue paper for wrapping the gift within, andwherein a consumer can insert a gift into a gift box, insert the giftbox within the sleeve and secure the open end of the sleeve, therebymore easily and quickly wrapping a gift with less waste.

The use of gift wrapping is known in the art. Most gift wrapping isknown to consist of large sheets of paper, packaged either in the formof a roll or a folded sheet, which is then unrolled or unfolded, thedesired amount of paper cut with scissors, and then used to wrap a giftby securing the paper with adhesive tape, with optional added decorationsuch as a ribbon or bow. Typically, wrapping a gift in this manner isboth time and energy consuming. Often, more wrapping paper is obtainedthan is needed, and extra paper must be cut off the side and/or ends ofthe wrapped gift after wrapping, with the result of wasted wrappingpaper. Further, it is difficult to wrap a gift in a setting where timeis of the essence and space is at a premium; for example, in a vehicleor on public transportation while on the way to a gift-giving occasion,where a large workspace is not accessible, or where it may be dangerousto use scissors or other cutting implements.

Moreover, in the case of asymmetrical or otherwise unusually-shapedgifts, wrapping such gifts almost always presents difficulties, as thegift often requires additional time and labor to wrap sufficiently, andthe resulting wrapped gift may be of sizes and/or dimensions that areundesirable, difficult-to handle or transport, or aestheticallyundesirable for the giver or recipient. Additionally, wrapping paper isnot adhesive or easily secured once wrapped onto the gift; therefore,the user must also obtain and carry not only a cutting implement such asscissors, but also adhesive materials such as tape. Thus, the gift giveris often in the position of keeping track of multiple items that createclutter and can be easily lost. Even the loss or absence of a single oneof these items can frustrate the gift giver's goal of providing adesirably wrapped gift.

Attempts have been made to streamline the gift wrapping process byproviding self-contained wrap bags. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,697to Zarrow et al. is directed to a self-contained wrap bag that can befolded over itself to provide a container for a gift. A user can inserta gift directly into the bag. However, in the case of bulky gifts orgifts that do not conform to a perfectly uniform shape, the object ofproviding a sleekly-wrapped gift may still be frustrated.

Other attempts have been made to provide preformed gift wrappings. Forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,025 to Sloan is directed to a gift wrappingsystem where the gift is placed within a box, and the box is slid intoan envelope-like wrapping sleeve which is then sealed to provide a giftwrapped package. However, the wrapping of Sloan does not substantiallyconform to the dimensions of the box (as seen from Sloan, the wrappedarticle is hexahedronally shaped), so some extra wrapping extends beyondthe edges of the box, resulting in a somewhat irregularly-shaped finallywrapped gift (According to Sloan, the shape of the final wrapped gift is“arcuate”). In addition to providing an undesirable final wrappedpackage, such a gift may still be difficult to transport or to stackwith other gifts as, for example, under a Christmas tree, because of itssharp edges that protrude out.

In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,665 to Scott describes a giftpackage sleeve, which can be slid over a gift box before offering thegift to a recipient. Other products are currently sold on the market,for example, products sold under the names “Wrap It Up”(www.wrapitup.com) and “Wrap and Go” (www.wrapandgo.com), that purportto make it easier for users to wrap gifts quickly and with minimumeffort. However, in these cases the boxes are provided with the wrappingpaper fixed thereon, and thus there is a limit to the interchangeabilityof the wrapping paper on different boxes.

In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,051 to Triglia et al. is alsodirected to a gift wrapper including a bag-like sleeve of paper to wrapa box of predetermined size. However, Triglia requires somewhat bulkymaterials, such as cardboard guide and support members, which may add tocost and lead to heavier and bulkier materials. Further, the bag-likesleeve described therein includes stiff guide and support members thatprotrude beyond the open end of the bag-like sleeve.

In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,734 to Smith is directed to apre-cut sheet of wrapping paper with peel-and-stick adhesive strips thatcan be sized and cut to foldably wrap packages. However, this sheet ofwrapping paper does not eliminate many of the disadvantages discussedabove—including lack of convenience, as well as the necessity tocustomize the paper to the box and then apply the paper directly to thebox in an exact fashion or else risk not adequately covering the box.

Thus, there is a limit to what the packaging opportunities known in theart can provide, and a need remains for an affordable, simple and easyto transport gift wrapping combination that will avoid the drawbacksknown in the art, by allowing a user to wrap a gift quickly and easily,with a limited number of required steps, without the need to usescissors or other dangerous cutting implements, and without wastedmaterials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a gift wrappingcombination comprising a box and a sleeve of flexible material having aclosed end and an open end; wherein the sleeve has a size and dimensionsthat substantially conform to those of the box, wherein the box can beslidably inserted into the sleeve of flexible material through the openend, and the open end secured to completely enclose the box; and whereinthe open end of the sleeve comprises adhesion means.

In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a method ofwrapping a gift, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sealing the gift within a box;

(b) providing a sleeve having an open end and an opposite closed end,where the sleeve exceeds the length of the box at the sleeve's open end;

(c) inserting the box into the sleeve through the sleeve's open end; and

(d) securing the open end of the sleeve with an adhesive, such that whensecure, the size and dimensions of the sleeve substantially conform tothe size and dimensions of the box.

In certain embodiments, the method comprises the additional step of

(e) securing a ribbon, bow or tag to the wrapped box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a gift wrapping combination according to an embodiment ofthe present invention, as seen from the front in its packaging.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the box and sleeve just prior to placing thebox within the sleeve and sealing the wrapped gift.

FIG. 3 shows the finally wrapped gift when the gift wrapping combinationof the present invention has been fully utilized.

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b are side views of alternate embodiments of the sleeveof the present invention

FIGS. 5 a through 5 d illustrate additional embodiments of the presentinvention, directed to the portable gift wrapping combination as well asthe steps of placing the box within the sleeve and sealing the wrappedgift.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a gift wrappingcombination comprising a box and a sleeve of flexible material having aclosed end and an open end, the sleeve having a size and dimensions thatsubstantially conform to those of the box.

In certain embodiments, the gift wrapping combination is directly onlyto a sleeve of flexible material having a closed end and an open end; oralternatively, only to the sleeve of flexible material along with aribbon or bow or other decorative item; or alternatively, only to thesleeve of flexible material along with interior wrapping paper ormaterial such as cloth or cotton, packing peanuts or other cushioningmaterial for wrapping loosely around a gift before it is inserted into abox. In such embodiments, it would be necessary for a user to obtain abox separately from the portable gift wrapping combination of thepresent embodiments. In various embodiments, the sleeve of flexiblematerial has dimensions that are easily compatible with boxes that areavailable on the market.

In various embodiments where the portable gift wrapping combinationincludes a box, the box may be provided in separate pieces that may beassembled prior to sealing the gift therein. By “sealing” the giftherein it is meant that the gift is to be placed within the box and thebox closed. This may be effected by, e.g., closing the box via a flapthat is secured or via a lid that is closed (in the case of a box havinga lid).

In various embodiments, the box is made of paper or thin cardboardmaterial, and may be in one piece but collapsible or easily flattenedfor ease of transport and handling. In various embodiments, the box andthe sleeve of flexible material may be packaged together in, forexample, a kit comprising a flat package wherein the combination iscovered with clear plastic, such that the combination can be viewed by aconsumer prior to purchasing. As can be seen in FIG. 1, when packaged,the combination is flat and easy to transport. In various embodiments,the combination or kit is packaged in clear plastic such that thedecorative design 1 on the sleeve 6 is visible through the front of thepackaging. In such embodiments, the package may further comprise abacking member 13 which, when used in conjunction with the hang tag 4,provides for easy display and purchase of the gift wrapping combination.Further, the combination may include a ribbon 2, and either a separatetag that can be attached to the final wrapped gift or a simulated tag 3that is printed on the surface of the sleeve 6. In various embodiments,the packaging includes a hang tag 4 for easy display.

In various embodiments, the sleeve of flexible material 6 has a size anddimensions that substantially conform to those of the box, such that thebox can be easily slipped into the sleeve of flexible material toprovide a nice finally wrapped gift that does not waste paper or requiretools such as scissors, and that provides a package having asubstantially square configuration (such as a cube) or rectangularconfiguration. As used herein, “substantially square or rectangular”means that is, having two or more 90 degree angles. This provides afinal wrapped gift that can be easily transported and stacked, as on atable or under a Christmas tree, for example. By describing “the sleevehaving a size and dimensions that substantially conform to those of thebox” it is meant that the sleeve and the box have dimensions that arewithin about 2 mm to about 1 cm of each other, such that the box may beinserted into the open end of the sleeve to provide a snug fit in thesame manner as that of a traditionally-wrapped gift, and wherein thefinal wrapped gift provides a visual effect that is similar to that of atraditionally-wrapped gift. In the embodiments of the present inventioncomprising only the sleeve of flexible material, only the sleeve offlexible material and a bow or ribbon or other decorative object, oronly the sleeve of flexible material and interior wrapping material, thesleeve of flexible material should have size and dimensions thatsubstantially conform to those of a box that is available on the market.

In various embodiments, the sleeve of flexible material 6 comprisesflexible material that is non self-supporting. In various embodiments,the sleeve of flexible material 6 comprises paper, plastic (for example,clear plastic such as cellophane), paper coated in plastic (such as thatwhich can make the surface of the wrapped gift waterproof or soilproof,for example), foil or foil-like material, sacking or any type of cloth,including without limitation: gauze, netting, lace, tulle, velvet orvelvet-like material, natural or synthetic fur or wool, wood or othercellulosic material such as plant material, or any other material thatprovides a visual, tactile or otherwise aesthetically pleasing qualitydesirable to the consumer. The flexible material may be a sheet materialhaving a decorative design imprinted thereon. The decorative design 1may be one that is suitable for any of various gift giving occasions.The present Figures demonstrate an embodiment of the present inventionin which the decorative design is one of stripes. As seen in FIG. 2,once the box 5 is formed, it can be slipped into the sleeve of flexiblematerial 6 via its open end 7, all the way into the sleeve to touch itsclosed end 8.

As depicted in FIGS. 5 a-5 d, in various embodiments the sleevecomprises a portion adjacent to its open end wherein the flexiblematerial has a length exceeding that of the box when the box is insertedinto the sleeve. In certain embodiments, this portion 14 is ofsubstantially uniform length around the outer perimeter of the boxadjacent to the open end of the sleeve, such that the portion may befolded down to complete the wrapping of the gift. In certainembodiments, this portion 14 is of substantially uniform length aroundthe outer perimeter 15 of the box adjacent to the open end of thesleeve, and may be folded down to complete the wrapping of the gift asdepicted in FIG. 5 c. In certain embodiments, the adhesion meanscomprises an adhesive strip or patch 16 disposed on the portion of thesleeve exceeding the length of the box, as shown, e.g., in FIGS. 5 a-5c. In various embodiments, the sleeve is made entirely of lightweightpaper such as, e.g., paper of the same grade as wrapping paper known inthe art; that is, its entirety, including the portion 14 describedherein, is all of the same sheet of material. This is in contrast to theteachings of, for example, Triglia et al. described previously, in thatguide and support members made of stiff material such as cardboard arenot necessary.

In certain embodiments, the sleeve may or may not comprise score lines,creases or the like to further provide ease of use for the personwrapping the gift. However, in some embodiments, score lines, creases orthe like are not necessary.

In various embodiments, the sleeve of flexible material contains at itsopen end 7 an adhesion means 10 for securing the open end 7 closed oncethe box 5 containing the gift has been slipped into it. Thus, the boxcan be slipped into the sleeve until it reaches the closed end 8, andthe open end can be closed by folding along the portion that correspondsto the outer perimeter 15 of the box adjacent to the open end of thesleeve, such that the gift is quickly and easily wrapped.

FIG. 4 a. shows an embodiment of the sleeve of flexible material 6 ofthe present invention. In FIG. 4 a, the sleeve is completely open andread to receive the box through its open end 7. As can be seen, creases12 are located on either or both of the parallel side walls of thesleeve, such that the sleeve can be folded along these creases to makeit easily collapsible for packaging, but once removed from the packagingthe sleeve can also be easily opened into its ready position forreceiving the box. FIG. 4 b demonstrates a view of the side of a sleeveof one embodiment of the invention, where the sleeve is beingun-collapsed from its flattened packaged position, by straightening itssides along the creases 12 to create the flat closed end 8. This flatclosed end 8 is folded back upon the sleeve 6 while in packaging, butcan be opened by pushing downward to receive the box.

In various embodiments, the adhesion means 10 is located either on alengthened flap of flexible material 9 that protrudes longer than theother four sides of the open end, as pictured in FIG. 2. However, inother embodiments there is no lengthened flap 9 (for example, theembodiments depicted in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b), and at the open end of thesleeve, all four sides are of equal length; in such cases the adhesionmeans may be located on at least one of the four sides, and in certainembodiments, there may be score lines or other means for guiding theuser in the appropriate manner of securing the adhesion means.

In various embodiments, the adhesion means 10 may comprise patch orstrip of adhesive material, such as a sticky strip of glue or tape thatis covered with a strip of non-adhesive paper and will stick once thestrip of non-adhesive paper is removed, or a patch or strip that isactivated when material such as water is added, or pressure sensitive,such as that activated merely by pressing the patch or strip to the edgeof the open end such that the open end is closed. The adhesion means mayalso comprise, in various embodiments, a string or wire that is attachedat one end to the open end of the sleeve, and which is secured to theopposite part of the open end in order to close the open end; or abutton with a corresponding hole which when closed effects closure ofthe open end; or a snap or hook having two parts, one on each of theopen end and the edge of the open end, where the two parts effectclosure of the open end when joined together, or adhesive materialcomprising loops such as, for example, material available under thetrade name of Velcro®.

In various embodiments, the gift wrapping combination or kit may alsocomprise additional materials such as interior wrapping paper ormaterial. As used herein, the term “interior wrapping paper or material”refers to interior wrapping paper (for example, tissue paper or otherlight paper) or material such as cloth or cotton, packing peanuts,packing material made of synthetic materials such as polystyrene orother polymeric material or biodegradable equivalents, natural materialsuch as beans or grains, or other cushioning material for wrappingloosely around the gift before it is inserted into the box.

In various embodiments, the gift wrapping combination may also compriseat least one additional article (herein referred to as a “decorativearticle”) such as a ribbon, a bow, rope, string or other string-likematerial such as, for example, raffia, paper, beads, metallic wire,gemstones, ornaments, plant material including but not limited to straw,stems, vines, branches, roots, leaves, flowers, seeds, vegetables,legumes, fruit or berries (whether real or synthetic) or the like. Invarious embodiments, any of the features mentioned within thisdisclosure may be coordinated or matched, either by color or texture ormaterial, with each other or at least one of the box or the decorationon the sleeve of flexible material.

In certain embodiments, a tag may further be affixed to the finalwrapped gift by, e.g., adhesive or tying, and the tag may be used toidentify the gift giver or the recipient of the gift. In certain otherembodiments, a separate tag is not used, but rather the design of thedecorative sleeve may incorporate a simulated “tag” on its surfacewherein the gift giver can identify (by writing) the recipient of thegift, as shown in FIG. 1. The gift wrapping combination may be presentedin any suitable size for any of an array of potentially sized gifts, solong as the sleeve has a size and dimensions that substantially conformto those of the box.

In other embodiments, the present invention is directed to a method ofwrapping a gift, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sealing the gift within a box;

(b) slipping the box into a sleeve of flexible material having a closedend and an open end, the sleeve having a size and dimensions thatsubstantially conform to those of the box; and

(c) securing the open end of the sleeve with adhesion means.

In certain embodiments, the method comprises the additional step of (d)placing an article onto the wrapped box. The article may be chosen fromdecorative or novelty articles such as a sticker, a ribbon, a bow, rope,string or other string-like material such as, for example, raffia,paper, beads, metallic wire, gemstones, ornaments, plant material suchas straw, stems, vines, branches, leaves, flowers, fruit or berries(whether real or synthetic) or the like, or a tag for identifying thegiver or recipient of the gift.

In various embodiments, the box and sleeve of the present invention maybe shaped or sized such that they are capable of holding gifts ofvarying size; for example, a gift or gifts that are similarly sized tohold a cube or a generally rectangular shaped box with 90 degree angles.Preferably, the box and sleeve of the present invention aresubstantially square or rectangular—that is, both comprise at least twoor more right angles, such that their dimensions substantially conformto each other. As used herein, “substantially conform” means that thetwo should be configured such that the box, when slid into the sleeve,fits snugly therein such that the resultant gift wrapped packagepresents a pleasing shape without either extraneous flexible material,extraneous space between the box and the sleeve, or an insufficientamount of flexible material to cover the box fully.

In various embodiments, the box and sleeve of the present invention maybe chosen from among the following shapes and dimensions (all in inches,and all dimensions plus or minus a range of about 0.25 inch to about 0.5inch are contemplated within the scope of the embodiments):

Box: 9.5 × 2 × 15 4 × 4 × 4 4 × 4 × 6 10 × 1.25 × 7 11 × 2.5 × 17 12 × 3× 19 4 × .75 × 14 12 × 6 × 12 16 × 7 × 16 Sleeve: 9.75 × 2 × 16.5 4.25 ×4 × 6.5 4.25 × 4 × 8.5 10.25 × 1.25 × 8.25 11.25 × 2.5 × 19 12.25 × 3 ×21 4.25 × .75 × 15 12.5 × 6 × 16 16.5 × 7 × 20.5

All embodiments described herein are illustrative and in no way limitthe scope of the invention, and the invention may be embodied in otherforms not explicitly described here, without departing from the spiritthereof.

1. A gift wrapping combination comprising a box and a sleeve of flexiblematerial having a closed end and an open end; wherein the sleeve has asize and dimensions that substantially conform to those of the box,wherein the box can be slidably inserted into the sleeve of flexiblematerial through the open end, and the open end secured to completelyenclose the box; and wherein the open end of the sleeve comprisesadhesion means.
 2. The gift wrapping combination of claim 1, wherein theflexible material comprises paper.
 3. The gift wrapping combination ofclaim 1, further comprising an article chosen from a ribbon, a bow and atag.
 4. The gift wrapping combination of claim 1, wherein the box is ofsubstantially square or rectangular dimensions.
 5. The gift wrappingcombination of claim 1, wherein the open end of the sleeve comprises aportion exceeding the length of the box, wherein the portion is ofuniform length around the outer perimeter of the box adjacent to theopen end of the sleeve, and wherein the portion may be folded down tocomplete the wrapping of the gift.
 6. The gift wrapping combination ofclaim 1, wherein the adhesion means comprise an adhesive strip or patchdisposed on the portion of the sleeve exceeding the length of the box.7. A method of wrapping a gift, the method comprising the steps of: (a)sealing the gift within a box; (b) providing a sleeve having an open endand an opposite closed end, where the sleeve exceeds the length of thebox at the sleeve's open end; (c) inserting the box into the sleevethrough the sleeve's open end; and (d) securing the open end of thesleeve with an adhesive, such that when secure, the size and dimensionsof the sleeve substantially conform to the size and dimensions of thebox.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of: (e)securing a ribbon, bow or tag to the wrapped box.